Executive Producers: Barbra Streisand and Jay Landers
Produced by Barbra Streisand (all tracks), Robbie Buchanan (with Barbra on
tracks 2, 7, 9), and Johnny Mandel (with Barbra on track 5)
Orchestral Arrangements and Conducting by
Jeremy Lubbock,
Jorge Calandrelli, Robbie Buchanan, and Johnny Mandel
Recorded and Mixed by David Reitzas
Additional Recording Engineers: Bill Schnee, Scott Erickson, Moogy Canazio, Al
Schmitt
Mastered by Stephen Marcussen
Liner Notes: Barbra Streisand and Jay Landers
Cover Photo: Terry O'Neill/Corbis Online
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Smile [4:16]
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But Beautiful [5:34])
From
the lushness of the opening bittersweet strings on "Smile" to the
final trumpeting dazzle of "You're Gonna Hear From Me," Barbra
Streisand's The Movie Album speaks gloriously and directly to the
heart and soul of both the accomplished singer and her attentive audience.
Love is definitely foremost on her mind, as singer-actress Streisand moves
effortlessly from exquisite, moving ballads ("But Beautiful,"
"The Second Time Around," "How Do You Keep The Music
Playing?") to character-inspired, intricately arranged mini-movies
("Wild Is The Wind," "Emily," "Calling You").
Her fellow musicians in the orchestra shine throughout the recordings,
frequently soloing enthusiastically and adding surprising unique touches along
the way. A lovely guitar figure captures the romance of "Moon River"
perfectly, and Barbra easily outdoes her 1961 TV performance, bringing the
delightful Breakfast At Tiffany's film vividly to mind.
Halfway through the album comes the exceptional "More In Love With You," virtually a brand-new song prepared brilliantly by composer André Previn, lyricists Alan & Marilyn Bergman, arranger Jeremy Lubbock, and of course Barbra. The most daring and unconventional track on the CD, this one's an intricate tone poem, which opens musically and lyrically reminiscent of Yentl (think of "The Way He Makes Me Feel" and "Will Someone Ever Look At Me That Way?"). Weaving its way through a sea of strings and violin solos, the composition's main focus is Barbra's enthusiastic, honest, passionate recitation of love - "Instantly I knew all my life has led to you." Shivers will surely take you when she soars, "It seems all too wonderful, impossible..." A genuinely astonishing piece of music.
More jazz! More bossa nova, Barbra! Hopefully, "I'm In The Mood For Love" is a taste of things to come. The ease in which she dances around gentle rhythms and trumpets is hypnotic and quite conducive for actually getting into the mood. A welcome recording of a song that only remained in her 1994 concert for a few shows.
Overall, there's a
certain extra something in Barbra's performances of each of these 12 songs,
from the subtleties and nuances in her phrasing to the amazing tonal qualities
offered throughout. She and the orchestra are more in sync and complementary
than I've ever heard them, thanks in large part to outstanding, creative
arrangements by Lubbock, Jorge Calandrelli, Robbie )
Buchanan,
and Johnny Mandel. While already recorded by everyone from Billie Holiday to
Boz Scaggs, "But Beautiful" is a revelation on this album. Wait till
you hear Barbra's voice wrapped around those lovely lyrics, not to mention the
accompanying trumpet. Beautiful is an understatement.
Sondheim's "Goodbye For Now" is an all too brief conversation in character from Reds. The song goes by so quickly, you'll wish there were much more, just as Barbra's character longs to return.
By the time Streisand closes The Movie Album, its indelible impression is distinctive. This is an album full of passion, truth, creativity, virtuosity, and ultimately the enjoyment of the listener as well as the musicians. Barbra's voice is as vibrant as it ever was and now features an unmistakable richness and understated maturity that makes her inimitable and arguably still the preeminent songstress of our time. As producer/co-producer for the entire album, Barbra Streisand deserves great credit for supervising the superior studio work by all involved. As Barbra's landmark 60th CD, The Movie Album will certainly be a savored favorite of mine for years to come. - Mark Iskowitz, 10/8/03
Footnotes
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Streisand's
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BarbraStreisand.com:
beginning October 14, fans sent in reviews from the world over to barbrastreisand.com for
posting on its Reviews pages. Every fan review posted to the site was considered for the "Movie Album Review" contest in which two fan
reviews were chosen in April 2004 to receive publication in a New Yorker
magazine ad that month. On October 22, Barbra posted the following
message of appreciation: I'd
like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have so kindly sent in
your reviews of "The Movie Album." I'm reading each of them in its entirety, not
just the shortened version on the website, and I want to say very personally how
humbled I am by the eloquence and graciousness of your response. They all touch
me very deeply. I'm not in the habit of reading all of the media reviews, but
your thoughts - the thoughts of the people I make records for - are very
meaningful to me...thank you. Winners:
Linda Goldstone & Danny Gerstein. Streisand, who was not a judge in the
contest, noted that, had she been, "I would not
have been able to decide. Each entry was elegant and gracious and had true
critical merit. I'm not in the habit of reading all of the media reviews, but
the thoughts that were submitted - the thoughts of the people I make records
for - were very meaningful to me and touched me deeply."
